Shasha Ali APHRNZ

What led you to a career in HR/ the position that you are in currently? 

I’ve always felt drawn to roles that centred people, human rights, and social justice. Over the past 15 years, I’ve navigated through trauma-informed social services work, to the public service, to specialising in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) mahi. 

I’m proud of my time at the Public Service Commission’s Pay Equity Taskforce in 2022, my first HR-related role. I am forever grateful for my manager then, who took a chance on me entering HR at my mid-career point. Here, I gained experience in sector-wide pay equity work which exposed me to the public service machinery, inner-workings of employment relations experts and engagement with unions.

In my current role as DEI Experience Lead at the University of Auckland, I kaitiaki employee experience for those who experience barriers at the interface of HR systems from recruitment to employee engagement and workplace policies. This opened my eyes to how truly broad HR is as a profession, and how much potential there is to influence, connect, and bring people along a journey of change.

What do you love about working in HR?

I love that my work is intended to be human-centred. From hiring to development, HR touches half of people’s daily lives. That means we have the privilege to shape workplaces with compassion through nurturing relationships and shared purpose. That ripple effect of care and nurturing empathy extends far beyond work.

What is an achievement so far in your career that you are proud of?

One that immediately comes to mind is initiating University of Auckland’s formal staff networks (ERGs) programme, growing from a couple of hundred to almost 1,000 members over the past three years. 

What are your thoughts on the Accredited Professional Member process?

The process really made me reflect on my growth, strengths, and areas to build on. I appreciate The Path competency framework for giving structure to that reflection and professional accountability.

Do you plan to now work towards becoming a Chartered Member?  

Yes. Wherever my career leads, having this professional standard in future and staying connected to evolving people practices, both locally and globally, is important to me.

What are your next steps in terms of your career?

These days, I intentionally seek balance between values alignment, purpose and wellbeing. Where can I make the most impact at this time of my life in the world we live in today? This is my northern star prompt when I think about any next steps.

I remain passionate about the higher education and capability development, where a shared commitment to learning helps unlock the potential of diverse, multi-generational workforces.

I also hope to encourage greater diversity within HR. As a visibly Muslim woman of colour, I rarely see others like me represented in this space, and I want to help change that in any way I can through networking and mentoring opportunities.